Patients
Psychosocial Oncology
While other oncology treatments focus on treating the physical components of the disease, psychosocial oncology is geared towards helping patients and families maintain emotional well-being and cope with the stresses associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Facing a serious illness such as cancer can be very distressing. At CTRC, help is available for any patients or family members having difficulty coping with their illness or treatment. Staff in Psychosocial Oncology has expertise in providing supportive care and assistance through this difficult time.
Psychosocial care is an integral part of cancer treatment. We are committed to working with patients to develop an individualized treatment plan that optimizes their ability to deal with illness. We will work with patients to define their treatment goals and concerns, and develop a plan to address them. We work closely with the oncologists, nurses, social workers, and other CTRC clinical staff to provide comprehensive, individualized care.
We provide a range of services including pain and symptom management, psychological, assessment and treatment and assistance with social and financial difficulties.
Psychologists within the Department of Psychosocial Oncology are an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team offering clinical services to oncology patients and their families and conducting research that evaluates and informs the clinical services offered. Our team of Clinical Health Psychologists provides assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning in various areas, such as:
- Symptom Management (including Pain Management)
- Treatment Side-effect Management
- Post-treatment Adaptation
- Psychological Distress
- Couple and Family Adjustment
- Counseling
- Counseling can help you deal with anxiety, depression, stress, loss of control, and emotional upset.
- Your Options
- Hypnosis and Stress Reduction are two options to help you with your cancer treatment.
- Education
- The Continuing Education Program in Psychosocial Cancer Care has provided specialized training opportunities for health care professionals working in the arena of psychosocial oncology.
- Coping with the diagnosis
- Some practical things that you can do to help during this time.
- Coping with Terminal Cancer
- Understanding how people at different ages and developmental levels view death and dying may help to alleviate many of the fears and uncertainties associated with this process.
- The Experience of Grief
- Grieving is a normal response to a loss. The loss can include the loss of your normal daily routine, the impact of the diagnosis on other family members, and the financial impact of the diagnosis.
- Supportive Care
- Supportive, or palliative, care is aimed at comfort versus cure.
- Hospice Care
- Hospice is a type of palliative care that provides services to improve the quality of life for the patient and family.
- Physical Needs
- Meeting the physical needs of the dying is aimed at providing as much comfort as possible.
- Important decisions to Be Made
- Some practical things that you can do to help during this time.
- Providing Support for the Bereaved
- There are many things you can do to assist a bereaved person.
